Coupling means



April 20, 1948- (3, H, YL I 2,440,160

COUPLING MEANS Filed June 16, 1945' k 7G 50 5o Fig.4.

75/; 52' 52 z 72 7 L a \72 581 I 1-ao [iii r INVENTOR.

CHAHLE s H. TAYLOR I 46 v W TTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1948 COUPLING MEANS Charles H. Taylor, Springfield, Mass, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, l a., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 16, 1945, Serial No. 599,939

My invention relates to coupling means for detachably connecting'a hose or conduit to the intake or exhaust opening of an air translating apparatus.

One object of the invention is to produce improved coupling means of the type set forth.

A further object of the invention is to devise improved coupling means which can be operated without any skill and with very little efl'ort.

A still further objectof the invention is to devise improved, compact coupling means which can be incorporated in the structure of an air translating apparatus without increasing the size of the apparatus and without unduly increasing the cost or the weight thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to produce improved coupling means whereby a hose or conduit may be automatically latchedin position by mere insertion of one end of the hose or conduit into the intake or exhaust opening of an air translating apparatus and whereby the hose or conduit may be readily unlatched to permit removal thereof.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming. a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a reduced elevational view illustrating the application of the improved coupling means to a tank type suction cleaner;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing details of construction;

Fig. 3 is a section on line III-III of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 3, certain parts being omitted.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a tank type suction cleaner l provided with a lifting handle l2 and mounted on runners I4. The cleaner includes an elongated, open-ended casing It, the open ends of which are closedby end bells l8 and 29. The casing l6 encloses a suction device and a filter bag, both of which may be conventional and, hence, are not shown nor described. As shown in Fig. 1, the end bell I2 is on the intake side, and the end bell 29 is on the exhaust side of the suction device. The end bell I8 is provided with an opening 22 adapted to receive a fitting or the like 24 which forms part of, or is connected to, one end of a rigid conduit or fiexible hose 25 to be connected tothe low pressure side of the suction device. The other end of the hose 26 carries any desired suction cleaning tool 28. The end bell 20 is provided with the usual 6 Claims. (Cl. 285-173) 2 exhaust opening through which filtered air is discharged as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1.

In the embodiment illustrated, the end bell i8 is formed of an outer decorative shell 30, which is finished to harmonize with the finish of the cleaner casing, and an inner shell 32 secured to the outer shell 30 at 34.

The inner shell 32 is provided with an opening 36 which registers with the opening 22. The

wall structure defining the opening 36 also forms a seat for retaining a compressible gasket 38 against which the inner end of the fitting 24 is adapted to abut, to .efiect an airtight connection between the fitting and the interior of the end bell as shown in Fig. 2.

40 having flat portions 42 which are secured to the inner shell by rivets or the like 44. The mounting plate has other portions thereof bent at substantially a right angle to the flat portions 42 to form side walls 46 and 48 which are cut out to rovide aligning slots till-adapted to receive pins 52 which lproject from opposite sides of the fitting 24. To facilitate insertion of the pins into the slots, themouths or outer ends of the slots are flared as at 54.

In order detachably to lock the fitting in position, I use a latch lever which includes a central .yoke or connecting portion 56 and two spaced,

parallel side arms 58. The yoke 56 is bent to form a finger piece or push button 60 which is adapted to extend through an opening 62 adjacent the opening 22. The arms 58 are bent to provide generally recessed round portions 64 which overlie the inner portions of the side walls 46, and 48 of the mounting plate 40. The side arms 58 are pivoted to the adjacent side walls 46 and 48 of the mounting plate, as at 66, and are provided with extensions 68 adapted to abut the adjacent edges of the side walls of the mounting plate to limit rotation of the latch lever in counterclockwise direction. The side arms 58 of the latch lever are provided with latch members 10 which, in the position of the lever shown in Fig. 2, are adapted to overlie the slots 59 as shown in Fig. 2. The'latch members 10 are provided with longitudinally-slanting edges 12 against which the pins 52 slide as the fitting 24 is inserted through the opening 22, and inclined, transversely- -disposed locking edges '74 which are adapted to engage the pins 52 and prevent their withdrawal from the slots 59. It will be understood that the'inovement of the pins 52 into the slots 59, rotates the latch lever in clockwise direction'with thesittstnl This results i t n tion, as viewed in Fig. 2, and moves the latch members out of registration with slots 50.

The latch lever is biased to the position shown in Fig, 2 by any suitable spring. In the embodiment illustrated, I use a single spring which is carried by the mounting plate and which acts upon the yoke 56 of the latch lever. As shown, the spring includes a central portion 16 which abuts the underside of the yoke portionfiiiandcslightiy diverging armsl8 aiid80 which ezite'rid alor igs ide the lever side arms 58 and which are connected, at their converging ends, by loops 82. The ends of the p ing arms 80 are bent, as at 84, to engaie the vertical es of the side walls wa rection, so as to move the latch ievef to and retain it in, the engaging positionsliowi'r inT'igfiZl' Operation 9: h e ing. fiiriiei iaeee through w neniee i h gasket;'3'8, the piris ;5'2 gnggi e th slan i not th'e latc'h members l l andI' u against thatib'ffof the spr gl oiit 0 reg v of: the latchlei er', bioeiiitis di tha bout th''pivotstt. *f'wheii n girls ii 5 slanting 'e'dges'IZ of the atoll It will be seen-drainthe foregoing that'the mechanism described may be used for coupling any two members together andithatits applic'a' ti'orr is notdirnit'ed: to the; connection of "a conduit or hoseto the intakeof exhaust side ofia suction cleaner, "or other air translating 'apparatus? 1 It will also be noted that by'means of my improved coupling ineans-,-:the-hose-is effectively coupled tothe cleaner "Withblit the use of bayonetslots or otherextraneous iastening devices and that the 1 L dv;9 FJZFQQEP QW PX straightline movement thereofrelative v to the e r-v 1 W ltis further pointed out that the hose is automatically i .P t Z E IN TP QEL RQEQf through the opening-grid that it merel ne 4 sary to push the finger piece 69 inwardly to permit withdrawal of the hose from the cleaner opening.

A further advantage is that the spring exerts uniform pressure against the pins on opposite sides of the fitting, thus guarding against wobbling or loosening of the fitting.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it willb'e obvious to those skilled in the art that it isin'ot" so lirnit'ed,v but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof,

what I claim is:

-""1.Ihe combination with a first member having egijirst ,g gger ing. and a second member insertabl'e into saidjopening, of means for detachably coupling saidi'rnenibers, said means including a pil ag jiigd by said second member, a bracket carriedbys'aid'first member adjacent said opening anlijhaving a slot therein adapted to receive said pin, a latch pivoted to said bracket and movable to a vfirst position in which it permits insertion aiid'fivithdrawal of said pininto and f i bm'isaid'slot, and to 'a' second position in which it prevntswithdrawai ofsaid pin from said I slot,,a s pring biasi ng said latch to said second positionjtherfe' bein a second opening formed in said firstl'memberjfand means-carried', by said lja'tchgand projecting throughlsaid second opening' fbfij lmoving jsaid'latchj to'said first position agains'tthe ct'ion'of saidspring, i

The omb' :ati n 'withIa first member havmeans-p glandla, second membervinsertable mi as qiie..,i wa wi n. d ia o knan ate te eili ai means including a pin projecting fro nasideoi said second member, a bracket carried by said first member .adjacent said openingand havingta .slot. therein, a latch pilotedto said bracketadjacent the mouth qi said; slptranddmovable vto'a first. position in which it,ov.erlies. said slottbetween saidipivot and th bottompfisaidslot and intoua' second position in whichwitlishoutiof alignment said. said slot, means biasing said latch to said first position, said lat h being, InoYable. fr-omisiaid first, to" said secend. position, by said pin iupons insertion. of said second, member into Tsaid .opening. to. permit m0,,jve1nent of..said pin in said slot, said latch being so constructed ahd'arranged that when said second member'is inserted into saidopening and .said pin is inserted 'into s aid slot past said latch, said latch is biased to said'first position and prev'ents'withdrawal of 'sa'idfsec'on'd member from'saidbpie'fiing'; a em'eansrcr moving said latchto' said second "position t'o permit with: drawal of said pin from said. slot and disen gagemer'it fi'fsaid Ihmbeijs'. Q t 3. The combination with 'a first member 'havs T l 'oi da o d mem erinser ab e l ai PR 112g, 1 i .een j t r; e ach b y coupling dmembers togetlg er, said means ine i qje'cting iro na sideofsaid sec-.

br,ac t 'c ar'riedbysaidfirstmemsaid "one 'nala d. names ,slo t i; said pin; a leverl'iav ,e'of k d tbfsaidbracketga 'dQend b saidlever'and'havedge pQlitionadapted't'o .liegacross thejpath of .movment roflsa'idr pinflintol said slot, said. latchfalsomhaving Ia second edge 'por-r tion adaptedtq as v ss.thei path of movement or n 'pm inwardly, for l's'aid. slot to prevent withdr'awallbf pinQ said lever being movable 9.1 fit hosition 'i 'wh'ich said edgeportions are out of alignment with said slot to permit free insertion and withdrawal of said pin into and from said slot, and to a second position in which said edge portions lie across said slot, a spring for biasing said lever to said second position, said lever being movable to said first position by engagement of said pin with said first edge portion during insertion of said pin into said slot, and a projection formed at the other end of said lever for moving said lever to said first position against the action of said spring, said first member being provided with 'a second opening and said projection extending outwardly through said second opening.

4. The combination with a first member having an opening and a second member insertable into said opening, of means for detachably coupling said members together, said means including a bracket secured at its inner end to said first member and extending in the direction of the opening, with the outer end of said bracket disposed adjacent said opening, there being a slot in said bracket extending from the outer toward the inner end thereof, a pin carried by said second member and adapted to be inserted in said slot, a lever having one end thereof pivoted to the outer end of said bracket, a latch carried by said end of said lever and having a first edge portion adapted to lie across the path of movement of said pin into said slot, said latch also having a second edge portion adapted to lie across the path of movement of said pin outwardly of said slot to prevent withdrawal of said pin, said lever being movable to a first position in which said edge portions are out of alignment with said slot to permit free insertion and withdrawal of said pin into and from said slot, and into a second position in which said edge portions lie across said slot, a spring biasing said lever to said second position, said lever being movable to said first position by engagement of said pin with said first edge portion during insertion of said pin into said slot, there being a second opening in said first member on the side of said slot opposite the side supporting said pivot of said lever, and a projection formed at the outer end of said lever and extending through said opening for moving said lever to said first position against the action of said spring.

5. Coupling means including a first member, a pin carried. thereby, a second member, a bracket carried thereby and having a slot therein adapted to receive said pin, a latch having an edge portion overlying the slot, said latch being movable to a first position in which it permits insertion and withdrawal of said pin into and from the bottom of said slot and to a second position in which said latch prevents withdrawal of said pin from the bottom of said slot to lock said members together, means for normally biasing said latch to said second position, said edge portion of said latch being disposed inwardly of the mouth of said slot and slanted in such a manner as to allow said pin to enter saidcslot and subsequently cause said latch to be moved to said first position by engagement of said pin with said edge portion, and means for moving said latch to said first position for withdrawal of said pin.

6. The combination with a first member having an opening and a second member insertable into said opening, of means for detachably coupling said members together, said means including a pin' projecting from a side of said second member, a bracket carried by said first member adjacent said opening-and having a slot therein adapted to receive said pin, a lever having one end thereof pivoted to said bracket adjacent the mouth of said slot, a latch carried by said end of said lever and having a, first edge portion disposed between the pivot and the bottom of said slot and adapted to lie across the path of movement of said pin in said slot, said latch also having a second edge portion adapted to lie across the path of movement of said pin outwardly of said slot to prevent withdrawal of said pin from the bottom of said slot, said lever being movable to a first position in which said edge portions are out of alignment with said slot to permit free insertion and withdrawal of said pin into and from the bottom of said slot and to a second position in which said edge portions lie across said slot, and a spring for biasing said lever to said second position, the other end of said lever being adapted to be engaged for moving the lever to said first position against the action of said spring, said first edge portion being slanted in a manner to cause said lever to be moved to said first position by engagement of said pin with said first edge portion during movement of said pin toward the bottom of said slot, and said second edge portion being slanted in a manner to cause said pin to move further inc wardly into said slot by movement of said lever to said second position.

CHARLES H. TAYLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,148,913 McClellan Aug. 3, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 480,959 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1938 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,440,160; April 20, 1948.

CHARLES H. TAYLOR It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 4, line 43, for the word said, first occurrence, read with; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of June, A. D. 1948;

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

188mm flommz'smr of Patents. 

